Joint structure



Sept. 28, 1948. w, CAMPBELL 2,450,232

JOINT STRUCTURE Fil ed NOV. 29, 1945 I N V EN TOR. 7 mm .Z (FY/m gi,

- flew Patentecl Sept. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,450,232 JOINT STRUCTURE William J. Campbell, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Climax Machinery Company, Indianapolis, Ind, a-cm'pcration f In ian App c t o N embe 2 9 .5 a jN 6 1 52 s .Claims. (01. 220,61)

The present invention relate to joint struc- 'tures, and is particularly concerned with the provision of means for securing in place in an aperture in a member, a closure member for that aperture, when it is desired to avoid loosening: of the joint or rattling of the joined members,

as a result of vibration, and where the joined members are made of such materials that the use of ordinary fastening means to accomplish the desired ends is not feasible.

More particularly, I am concerned with the mounting of a bright metal dome or cap in the center of a reticular sheet forming a part of a housing for a window ventilator fan. *In'the specific structure with which I am primarily con-z cerned, a fan and motor are mounted within a housing, which housing consists of a frame and an expanded metal sheet stretched :upon the frame, the frame and sheet being painted or enameled. The COliStlllCtlOilais such thatthe ,mo-.

tor projects outwardly somewhat ;-beyond {the general plane of the open-work sheet; andadome is provided to cover the projecting portion :of

the motor. That dome preferably is made $01", ,or plated with, some bright metal. ;If screwsor bolts are used to fasten the two parts together, it is necessary to provide the parts with perforations through which those fastenings may pro- J'ect; and the vibrat on, i id n un nrth z sfi-z the organization, will work the fastening means loose, in spite of the use Of any knownnutloching means. Obviously, rattling of the associated parts will result, assoon as the fastening means work loose.

It is the primary object, then, of the present.

invention to provide some means whereby ,the parts in question may be held together without the provision of perforations, and without the possibility that the fastening means will work loose to permit rattling of the parts. Further, objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above andrelated objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying draw-. ,ings, attention being called to the fact, however,

joint structure and Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectiomapart ,stantially a arc of a circle.

of the dome being shown in side elevation, and the housing sheet being shown fragmentally.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that I have indicated the ventilator fan housing above-described, by the reference numeral Ill, the dome I! being shown in association therewith. The reticular sheet is indicated by the reference numeral 52 and, as is shown, said sheet is formed with a central aperture therein. Perimetrally bounding .that aperture, the sheet 12 is formed to provide an inwardl offset flange [3 whose cross-sectional contour is sub- The perimetral channe1 formed by the flange it faces toward the outer surface of the sheet i2; and the extremity M of said flange bounds and definesthe aperture in the sheet I2.

The dome H comprises a body portion l5, of generally part-spherical form; and its major perimetral dimension, indicated by the reference numeral i6, is such as will pass snugly through the aperture defined by the extremity id of the perimetral flange l3. At its rear end, the dome ll is -formed with a perimetrally projecting flange ll whose perimetral dimension exceeds that of the extremity of the flange i3. Thus, the dome ii may be moved through the aperture defined by the flange i3, from the inner side toward the outer side of the sheet l2, until the flange ll of the dome ll engages the flange [3 of the sheet i2 to limit movement of the dome in that direction.

Between the region of the major perimetral dimension of the body I5, indicated by the reference numeral 16, and the flange ii, the body i5 is reduced to-form a perimetrally outwardly opening groove 18. When the part are in assembled relation, as shown in Fig. 2, the flange 13, the groove i8, and the region of major perimetral dimension of the body 15 cooperate to provide an outwardly opening perimetral channel whose cross-sectional extent exceeds the portion iii of the dome and the base of the flange i3 deflning an unclosed chord through which access to that; channel may be gained.

A retainer. element It of resilient material may .now be entered in that channel to engage the flange i3 and the groove [8 in such a fashion as to urge the flange ll .into engagement with the flange i3. Preferably, the element [9 will be an elastic ring whose normal perimetral dimension i less than the major perimetral dimension of the body i5; and preferably, the

material of the element 1 9 will be elastically compressible its normal cross-sectional diameter being greaterl than the length of the chord defined between the region IQ of the dome H and the base of the flange l3. Such an element may be made of rubber, or of other materials having the above-described characteristics. An element having those characteristics may be forced through the open side of the channel defined between the groove l and the flange l3; and, when so manipulated, will contract perimetrally and expand cross-sectionally to exert an outward pressure upon the dome l I tending to hold said dome resiliently in position with its flange ll engaged with the flange I3.

I claim as my invention:

1. A joint structure comprising a formed with an aperture therein and a closure member adapted to close said aperture, said first member being formed with an oifset flange surrounding said aperture, said closure memberhaving a body contoured and dimensioned to pass snugly through said aperture, an outwardly-projecting perimetral flange at the rear end of said body having external dimensions exceeding the dimensions of said aperture, whereby, when said closure member body is passed through said aperture, said closure member flange will engage the flange on said first member to limit movement of said closure member in one direction, said closure member further being formed immediately forward of its flange, with a perimetral,

outwardlyopening channel having a radial di-' channel, and a resilient element removably received in said channel and engaged between said closure member body and the flange of said first member to hold said closure member against retrograde movement.

2. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein and a closure member adapted to close said aperture, said first member being formed with an offset flange surrounding said aperture, said closure member having a body contoured and dimensioned to pass snugly through said aperture, an outwardly-projecting perimetral flange at the rear end of said body having external dimensions exceeding the dimensions of said aperture, whereby, when said closure member body is passed through said aperture, said closure member flange will engage the flange on said first member to limit movement of said closure member in one direction, said closure member further being formed, immediately forward of its flange, with a region of reduced dimension, and a ring-like member of softly resilient material removably received in said last-named region and engaged between said closure member body and the flange of said first member to hold said closure member against retrograde movement.

3. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein and a closure member adapted to close said aperture, said first member being formed with an offset flange surrounding said aperture, said closure member having a body contoured and dimensioned to pass snugly through said aperture, an outwardly-pro"- Jecting perimetral flange at the rear end of said body having external dimensions exceeding the dimensions of said aperture, whereby, when said closure member body is passed through said aperture, said closure member flange will engage the flange on said first member to limit movement of said closure member in one direction, said closure member further being formed, immedifirst member ately forward of its flange, with a region of reduced dimension, and a rubber ring removably received in said last-named region and engaged between said closure member body and the flange of said first member to hold said closure mem ber against retrograde movement.

4. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein and a closure member adapted to close said aperture, said first member being formed with an offset flange surrounding said aperture, said closure member having a body contoured and dimensioned to pass snugly through said aperture, an outwardly-projecting perimetral flange at the rear end of said body having external dimensions exceeding the dimensions of said aperture, whereby, when said closure member body is passed through said aperture, said closure member flange will engage the flange on said first member to limit movement of said closure member in one direction, said closure member further being formed, immediately forward of its flange, with a region of reduced dimension, and an elastic element having a normal perimetral extent less than the major perimetral dimension of said closure member body removably received in said last-named region and engaged between said closure member body and the flange of said first member to hold said closure member against retrograde movement.

5. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein, said member being formed with a flange perimetrally bounding said aperture, said flange being offset away from the outer side of said member and providing a perimetral channel of approximately cross-sectional extent and opening toward the outer surface of said member, a closure member having a body whose major perimetral dimension is contoured to pass snugly through the aperture defined by said flange from the inner surface of said first member toward the outer surface thereof, said body being formed, immediately behind such major dimension, with a perimetral groove of reduced dimension, said groove being further defined by a perimetral flange of greater dimension than the flange of said first member, said first-named flange cooperating with said groove and with said closure member body, when said members are assembled, to define a perimetral channel whose cross-sectional extent exceeds and opening toward the outer surface of said first member, and a retaining member received in said last-named channel.

6. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein, said member being formed with a flange perimetrally bounding said aperture, said flange being offset away from the outer side of said member and providing a perimetral channel of approximately 90 crosssectional extent and opening toward the outer surface of said member, a closure member having a body whose major perimetral dimension is contoured to pass snugly through the aperture defined by said flange from the inner surface of said first member toward the outer surface there of, said body being formed, immediately behind such major dimension, with a perimetral groove of reduced dimension, said groove being further defined by a perimetral flange of greater dimension than the flange of said first member, said first-named flange cooperating with said groove and with said closure member body, when said members are assembled, to define a perimetral channel whose cross-sectional extent exceeds 180 and opening toward the outer surface of said first member, and a rubber ring received in said lastnamed channel.

7. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein, said member being formed with a flange perimetrally bounding said aperture, said flange being offset away from the outer side of said member and providing a perimetral channel of approximately 90 crosssectional extent and opening toward the outer surface of said member, a closure member having a body whose major perimetral dimension is contoured to pass snugly through the aperture defined by said flange from the inner surface of said first member toward the outer surface thereof, said body being formed, immediately behind its major dimension, with a perimetral groove of reduced dimension, said groove being further defined by a perimetral flange of greater dimension than the flange of said first member, said firstnamed flange cooperating with said groov and with said closure member body, when said members are assembled, to define a perimetral channel whose cross-sectional extent exceeds 180 and opening toward the outer surface of said first member, and a ring of compressibly resilient material, whose normal cross-sectional diameter is greater than the open chord defined between said first member and said closure body, received in said last-named channel.

8. A joint structure comprising a first member formed with an aperture therein, said member being formed with a flange perimetrally bounding said aperture, said flange being ofiset away from the outer side of said member and providing a perimetral channel of approximately 90 crosssectional extent and opening toward the outer surface of said member, a closure member having a body whose major perimetral dimension is contoured to pass snugly through the aperture defined by said flange from the inner surface of said first member toward the outer'surface thereof, said body being formed, immediately behind such major dimension, with a perimetral groove of reduced dimension, said groove being further defined by a perimetral flange of greater dimension than the flange of said first member, said firstnamed flange cooperating with said groove and with said closure member body, when said members are assembled, to define a perimetral channel whose cross-sectional extent exceeds 180 and opening toward the outer surface of said first REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,713,224 Gunter May 14, 1929 2,304,364 Marshall Dec. 8, 1942 

